Nigel Nicolson – författare

One of the great 20th century political diaries

''Brilliant, riveting stuff'' TRIBUNE

''One stops to marvel at the achievement. Honesty, decency, modesty, magnanimity, are stamped on every page, as evident as the wit'' EVENING STANDARD

''A tremendous read'' SPECTATOR

Harold Nicolson was one of the three great political diarists of the 20th century (along with Chips Channon and Alan Clark). Nicolson was an MP (Conservative, 1935-45, who also flirted with Labour after WWII). He had previously been in the Foreign Office and attended the Paris Peace Conference in 1919, and material from this period is included in this new edition for the first time.

Nicolson never achieved high office, but rarely a day went by when he didn''t record what was going on at Westminster. He socialised widely, was married to the poet and author Vita Sackville-West, and together they created the famous garden at Sissinghurst. Both were bi-sexuals and had affairs outside their marriage. This new edition also draws on diary entries and letters previously considered too sensitive for inclusion.

The diversity of Harold Nicolson''s interests and the irony in his writing make his diary a highly entertaining record of his life and times, as well as a document of great historical value.

The classic story of the relationship between Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson, and a unique portrait of the Bloomsbury Group.''Vita and Harold have become part of our literature'' OBSERVERThe marriage of Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson was one of the most controversial relationships of the 20th century. This selection of letters, many of which have never been published, skilfully woven together by their son, Nigel Nicolson, gives dramatic new insight into their fascinating lives.Set within a framework of their son''s highly personal memories, the story of this most extraordinary of marriages comes full circle - from the announcement of their engagement in 1912, through the storm days of Vita''s well-known affairs with Violet Trefusis and Virginia Woolf, during the years of long separation as Harold''s profession as a diplomat took him abroad, and culminating in the days leading up to Vita''s death in 1962.

''You cannot find peace by avoiding life'' Virginia WoolfAn intimate portrait of Virginia, the best-known and most influential Bloomsbury author of them all - ''All you need to know about the modernist, feminist icon'' TIME OUT''A gem'' SUNDAY TIMES''As a short introduction to Virginia Woolf this deceptively brief book could hardly be bettered and achieves high status instantly as a significant work of reference in its own right'' THE TIMESVirginia Woolf was undoubtedly one of the literary giants of the twentieth century. She was a central figure in the Bloomsbury Group, and her writings were works of astonishing originality. Nigel Nicolson is the son of Vita Sackville-West, who was Virginia Woolf''s most intimate friend, and for a short time her lover. He spent many days in her company and he has threaded his recollections of her throughout this unique narrative of her life.

The fascinating story of an unconventional, bisexual and powerfully loving relationship and a unique portrait of gender and feminism - with a new introduction from Juliet Nicolson.''A brilliantly structured account of the dramas, infidelities and deep emotional attachments'' GUARDIAN''An intimate and controversial account of his bisexual parents'' open relationship'' NEW YORK TIMES''One of the most absorbing stories, built around two very remarkable people, ever to stray from Gothic fiction into real life'' TLSThe marriage was that between the two writers, Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson and the portrait is drawn partly by Vita herself in an autobiography which she left behind at her death in 1962 and partly by her son, Nigel. It was one of the happiest and strangest marriages there has ever been. Both Vita and Harold were always in love with other people and each gave the other full liberty ''without enquiry or reproach'', knowing that their love for each other would be unaffected and even strengthened by the crises which it survived. This account of their love story is now a modern classic.